Google Modifies Advanced Shipping Settings in Merchant Center

GMC users must update their shipping settings before the new updates take effect on Sep. 30 to avoid creating new shipping services or using the API.

To create a simple and user-friendly experience, Google Merchant Center will remove these two features from shipping settings: subtables and multiple shipping costs per service.

Merchants have until September 30 this year to take the necessary steps to update their shipping settings and avoid shipping problems once the updates are implemented. Those who fail to do so will no longer be able to view or edit these two features in the Merchant Center and will, instead, have to create a new shipping service or use the Shopping Content API.

Subtables

Subtables are essential for merchants who prefer to work with a shipping rate table configured with three or more dimensions. Linking a subtable allows them to expand their shipping options based on destination, weight, number of items, etc.

But as subtables get removed from Google Merchant Center, merchants must delete the subtables assigned to their shipping services as soon as Google notifies them

How to Delete Subtables

1) Click on the tools and settings gear icon in the top right corner of the Merchant Center.

2) Click Shipping and Returns under “Tools”.

3) Select the shipping services you want to edit in the “Your Shipping Services” card.

4) Click the pencil icon beside “Cost”.

5) Click the shipping rate that uses a subtable in the “Shipping Rates” card.

6) Select an alternative option for the cell that uses a subtable in the “Shipping Rate Table” card.

7) Click the delete icon in the “Linked Subtables” card.

Multiple Shipping Costs Per Shipping Service

Assigning different rates for specific shipping labels within one shipping service will no longer be an option after the update takes effect at the end of September. Instead, multiple shipping rates will each become a separate shipping service, creating several shipping services.

Merchants who have set up up to 20 shipping rates per country within a single service will have multiple shipping services after migration. However, those with more than 20 shipping rates per country must manually reduce the number of shipping services or rates. Otherwise, their shipping services will not be migrated, and they will have to create new ones using the API.

How to Delete Exceeding Shipping Services

1) Click on the tools and settings gear icon in the top right corner of the Merchant Center.

2) Click Shipping and Returns under “Tools”.

3) Select the shipping services you want to edit in the “Your Shipping Services” card.

4) Click the delete icon.

How to Delete Exceeding Shipping Rates

1) Click on the tools and settings gear icon in the top right corner of the Merchant Center.

2) Click Shipping and Returns under “Tools”.

3) Select the shipping services you want to edit in the “Your Shipping Services” card.

4) Click the pencil icon beside “Cost”.

5) Select the shipping rate you want to delete.

6) Click the delete icon.

Meanwhile, merchants who have set up one shipping rate per shipping service will only notice a slight change in how the migrated services are displayed post-GMC updates. These changes will take place three months after Google required webmasters to set up their website on Google Analytics 4, following the exit of Universal Analytics.

Need Further Assistance?

Our team of expert digital marketers can help you set up and manage shipping services in Google Merchant Center so you can focus more on growing your business.